Part 28 (1/2)
It could not fail to be remarked by the Irish annalists, that the first Anglo-Norman settlers had been singularly unfortunate. They can scarcely be blamed for supposing that these misfortunes were a judgment for their crimes. Before the middle of this century (the thirteenth) three of the most important families had become extinct. De Lacy, Lord of Meath, died in 1241, infirm and blind; his property was inherited by his grand-daughters, in default of a male heir. Hugh de Lacy died in 1240, and left only a daughter. The Earl of Pembroke died from wounds received at a tournament. Walter, who succeeded him, also died without issue. The property came eventually to Anselm, a younger brother, who also died childless; and it was eventually portioned out among the females of the family.
It is said Henry III. expressed deep grief when he heard of Earl Richard's unfortunate end, and that he endeavoured to have rest.i.tution made to the family. Geoffrey de Marisco was banished. His son, William, conspired against the King, and even employed an a.s.sa.s.sin to kill him.
The man would have probably accomplished his purpose, had he not been discovered accidentally by one of the Queen's maids, hid under the straw of the royal bed. The real traitor was eventually captured, drawn at horses' tails to London, and hanged with the usual barbarities.
His miserable father, who had been thrice Viceroy of Ireland, and a peer of that country and of England, died in exile, ”pitifully, yet undeserving of pity, for his own treason against the unfortunate Earl Richard, and his son's treason against the King.” Such were the men who governed Ireland in the thirteenth century.
Treachery seems to have been the recognized plan of capturing an enemy.
In 1236 this method was attempted by the government in order to get Felim O'Connor into their power. He was invited to attend a meeting in Athlone, but, fortunately for himself, he discovered the designs of his enemies time enough to effect his escape. He was pursued to Sligo. From thence he fled to Tir-Connell, which appears to have been the Cave of Adullam in that era; though there were so many discontented persons, and it was so difficult to know which party any individual would espouse continuously, that the Adullamites were tolerably numerous. Turlough's son, Brian O'Connor, was now invested with the government of Connaught by the English, until some more promising candidate should appear. But even their support failed to enable him to keep the field. Felim[327]
returned the following year, and after defeating the soldiers of the Lord Justice, made Brian's people take to flight so effectually, that none of Roderic's descendants ever again attempted even to possess their ancestral lands.
The Four Masters have the following graphic entry under the year 1236: ”Heavy rains, harsh weather, and much war prevailed in this year.” The Annals of Kilronan also give a fearful account of the wars, the weather, and the crimes. They mention that Brian's people burned the church of Imlagh Brochada over the heads of O'Flynn's people, while it was full of women, children, and nuns, and had three priests in it. There were so many raids on cows, that the unfortunate animals must have had a miserable existence. How a single cow survived the amount of driving hither and thither they endured, considering their natural love of ease and contemplative habits, is certainly a mystery. In the year 1238, the Annals mention that the English erected castles in Connaught, princ.i.p.ally in the territory from which the O'Flahertys had been expelled. This family, however, became very powerful in that part of the country in which they now settled.
As Connaught had been fairly depopulated, and its kings and princes nearly annihilated, the English turned their attention to Ulster, where they wished to play the same game. The Lord Justice and Hugh de Lacy led an army thither, and deposed MacLoughlin, giving the government to O'Neill's son; but MacLoughlin obtained rule again, after a battle fought the following year at Carnteel.
In 1240 the King of Connaught went to England to complain personally of De Burgo's oppressions and exactions; but his mission, as might be expected, was fruitless, although he was received courteously, and the King wrote to the Lord Justice ”to pluck out by the root that fruitless sycamore, De Burgo, which the Earl of Kent, in the insolence of his power, hath planted in these parts.” However, we find that Henry was thankful to avail himself of the services of the ”fruitless sycamore”
only two years after, in an expedition against the King of France. He died on the voyage to Bourdeaux, and was succeeded by his son, Walter.
In 1241 More O'Donnell, Lord of Tir-Connell, died in a.s.saroe, in the monastic habit. In 1244 Felim O'Connor and some Irish chieftains accompanied the then Viceroy, FitzGerald, to Wales, where Henry had requested their a.s.sistance.
The King was nearly starved out, the Irish reinforcements were long in coming over, and the delay was visited on the head of the unfortunate Justiciary, who was deprived of his office. John de Marisco was appointed in his place.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ATHLONE CASTLE.]
FOOTNOTES:
[319] _Limerick_.--We give an ill.u.s.tration, at the head of this chapter, of King John's Castle, Limerick. Stanihurst says that King John ”was so pleased with the agreeableness of the city, that he caused a very fine castle and bridge to be built there.” This castle has endured for more than six centuries. Richard I. granted this city a charter to elect a Mayor before London had that privilege, and a century before it was granted to Dublin. M'Gregor says, in his _History of Limerick_, that the trade went down fearfully after the English invasion.--vol. ii. p. 53.
[320] _Address_.--Gilbert's _Viceroys_, p. 82, where the address may be seen _in extenso_.
[321] _Year_.--Four Masters, vol. iii. p. 227.
[322] _Carnfree_.--This place has been identified by Dr. O'Donovan. It is near the village of Tulsk, co. Roscommon. It was the usual place of inauguration for the O'Connors. See _note d_, Annals, vol. iii. p. 221.
[323] _Athlone_.--This was one of the most important of the English towns, and ranked next to Dublin at that period. We give an ill.u.s.tration of the Castle of Athlone at the beginning of Chapter XX. The building is now used for a barrack, which in truth is no great deviation from its original purpose. It stands on the direct road from Dublin to Galway, and protects the pa.s.sage of the Shannon. There is a curious representation on a monument here of an unfortunate English monk, who apostatized and came to Ireland. He was sent to Athlone to superintend the erection of the bridge by Sir Henry Sidney; but, according to the legend, he was constantly pursued by a demon in the shape of a rat, which never left him for a single moment. On one occasion he attempted to preach, but the eyes of the animal glared on him with such fury that he could not continue. He then took a pistol and attempted to shoot it, but in an instant it had sprung on the weapon, giving him, at the same time, a bite which caused his death. It is to be presumed that this circ.u.mstance must have been well known, and generally believed at the time, or it would not have been made a subject for the sculptor.
[324] _Woman_.--There are several versions of this story. The Four Masters say he was killed ”treacherously by the English.” The Annals of Clonmacnois say that ”he came to an atonement with Geoffrey March, and was restored to his kingdom,” and that he was afterwards treacherously killed by an Englishman, ”for which cause the Deputy the next day hanged the Englishman that killed him, for that foul fact.” The cause of the Englishman's crime was ”meer jealousie,” because O'Connor had kissed his wife.
[325] _Cavalry_.--Horse soldiery were introduced early into Britain, through the Romans, who were famous for their cavalry.
[326] _Castle_.--The Annals of Boyle contain a wonderful account of the _pirrels_ or engines constructed by the English for taking this fortress.
[327] _Felim_.--The Four Masters say, when writing of the act of treachery mentioned above: ”They all yearned to act treacherously towards Felim, although he was the gossip of the Lord Justice.”--Annals, vol. iii. p. 285. He was sponsor or G.o.dfather to one of his children.
CHAPTER XX.
The Age was not all Evil--Good Men in the World and in the Cloister--Religious Houses and their Founders--The Augustinians and Cistercians--Franciscans and Dominicans--Their close Friends.h.i.+p-- Dominican Houses--St. Saviour's, Dublin--The Black Abbey, Kilkenny-- Franciscan Houses--Youghal--Kilkenny--Multifarnham--Timoleague-- Donegal--Carmelite Convents and Friars--Rising of the Connaught Men-- A Plunderer of the English--Battle of Downpatrick--The MacCarthys defeat the Geraldines at Kenmare--War between De Burgo and FitzGerald.
[A.D. 1244-1271.]
Zeal for founding religious houses was one of the characteristics of the age. Even the men who spent their lives in desolating the sanctuaries erected by others, and in butchering their fellow-creatures, appear to have had some thought of a future retribution--some idea that crime demanded atonement--with a lively faith in a future state, where a stern account would be demanded. If we contented ourselves with merely following the sanguinary careers of kings and chieftains, we should have as little idea of the real condition of the country, as we should obtain of the present social state of England by an exclusive study of the police reports in the _Times_. Perhaps, there was not much more crime committed then than now. Certainly there were atonements made for offending against G.o.d and man, which we do not hear of at the present day. Even a cursory glance through the driest annals, will show that it was not all evil--that there was something besides crime and misery. On almost every page we find some incident which tells us that faith was not extinct. In the Annals of the Four Masters, the obituaries of good men are invariably placed before the records of the evil deeds of warriors or princes. Perhaps writers may have thought that such names would be recorded in another Book with a similar precedence. The feats of arms, the raids, and destructions occupy the largest s.p.a.ce. Such deeds come most prominently before the eyes of the world, and therefore we are inclined to suppose that they were the most important. But though the Annals may devote pages to the exploits of De Lacy or De Burgo, and only say of Ainmie O'Coffey, Abbot of the Church of Derry-Columcille, that he was ”a n.o.ble ecclesiastic, distinguished for his piety, meekness, charity, wisdom, and every other virtue;” or of MacGilluire, Coarb of St. Patrick, and Primate of Ireland, that ”he died at Rome, after a well-spent life,”[328]--how much is enfolded in the brief obituary! How many, of whom men never have heard in this world, were influenced, advised, and counselled by the meek and n.o.ble ecclesiastic!